Cost of Living Comparison Between Krabi and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Krabi and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $992 per month in Krabi vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Krabi vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,923 per month in Krabi vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Krabi costs about 15% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Krabi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Krabi 26% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.16 ฿106

$1.96 ฿65.8

61.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.53 ฿825

$18.35 ฿617

33.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 ฿205

$7.48 ฿252

-18.32%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ฿87.6

$2.02 ฿67.8

28.71%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 ฿32.10

$0.85 ฿28.50

11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.18

$0.36 ฿11.96

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿82.1

$2.14 ฿71.8

14.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ฿94.0

$3.59 ฿121

-22.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 ฿86.7

$1.65 ฿55.5

56.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 ฿85.8

$1.57 ฿52.7

62.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 ฿65.6

$1.19 ฿40.02

63.87%

Eggs

$2.16 ฿72.5

$1.94 ฿65.1

11.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.75 ฿900

$16.19 ฿544

65.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ฿122

$2.99 ฿101

21.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.92 ฿266

$10.94 ฿368

-27.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 ฿78.5

$2.71 ฿91.2

-13.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 ฿29.98

$1.17 ฿39.25

-23.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 ฿64.4

$1.69 ฿56.7

13.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 ฿68.0

$1.60 ฿54.0

26.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.3

$1.38 ฿46.54

10.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.78

$1.20 ฿40.45

13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 ฿50.1

$0.67 ฿22.50

122.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.93

$0.56 ฿18.73

-16.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 ฿120

$4.64 ฿156

-23.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.68 ฿359

$17.62 ฿593

-39.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿57.3

$1.86 ฿62.5

-8.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ฿106

$3.30 ฿111

-4.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 ฿42.21

$0.88 ฿29.68

43.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿36.91

$1.36 ฿45.90

-19.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 ฿38.42

$1.34 ฿44.98

-14.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.31 ฿212

$8.21 ฿276

-23.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ฿38.50

$1.22 ฿41.18

-6.56%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.3K ฿919.2K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

28.00%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.0K ฿906.7K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

19.67%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$44.55 ฿1,498

$70.7 ฿2,376

-36.96%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$12.92 ฿434

$14.04 ฿472

-7.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.62 ฿929

$17.49 ฿588

57.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.17 ฿1,385

$42.15 ฿1,417

-2.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.22 ฿411

$6.88 ฿231

77.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ฿222

$5.92 ฿199

11.66%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$219 ฿7,363

$309 ฿10.4K

-29.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,680 ฿258.3K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-48.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.29 ฿1,120

$55.8 ฿1,875

-40.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.33 ฿1,155

$26.11 ฿878

31.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ฿3,575

$83.0 ฿2,792

28.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.4 ฿2,603

$70.5 ฿2,369

9.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 ฿16.7K

$432 ฿14.5K

14.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 ฿12.2K

$239 ฿8,035

51.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 ฿19.8K

$822 ฿27.7K

-28.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 ฿14.9K

$512 ฿17.2K

-13.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,182 ฿39.7K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-38.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,046 ฿35.2K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-28.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$692 ฿23.3K

$579 ฿19.5K

19.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

9.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Krabi: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $495 in Krabi versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 20% higher in Krabi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Krabi versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $280 vs $243 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Krabi vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Krabi costs about 15% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,488 per month in Krabi and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Krabi and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Krabi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Krabi at $992. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Krabi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $992 in Krabi. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Krabi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.